Taralack Veed
Taralack Veed was an outlawed warrior of the Gral.The Bonehunters, Chapter 4, US SFBC p.173-175 He was described as the sole remaining survivor of the "Eroth bloodline", and as being tattooed. Veed had an unpleasant habit of grooming his hair with his own phlegm which he spread over his swept-back black hair with a gesture that temporarily disturbed the flies which customarily crawled over his scalp and through his hair.The Bonehunters, Prologue, US HC p.30 On long trips through the desert he recaptured and drank his own urine. He admired former Malazan Emperor Kellanved's skill at rooting out and slaughtering enemy cults in Seven Cities, but thought current Empress Laseen too prone to make mistakes. He had seventy-five avowed enemies, including the Empress, whom he "ritually cursed" at every sunrise and at every sunset. He thought of himself as possessing a viper's charm, alluring and mesmerizing, but ultimately deadly. In The Bonehunters Taralack Veed was secretly an agent of the Nameless Ones. He hoped to earn enough gold and clout in their lucrative service to raise a company of mercenaries to deliver justice on those in his village who had betrayed and outlawed him. Then he would become a warleader of the Gral and lead his people to victory. His ostracism may have resulted from a domestic dispute in which he had murdered his lover's husband, only to discover after she denounced him that the woman had used him to free herself for another man. On assignment, he followed a gathering of twelve of the cult's priests to a tomb where they planned to resurrect Dejim Nebrahl. From afar he heard Spite's betrayal of the other cultists as she left them to be devoured by the newly released T'rolbarahl, then began following the creature's trail.The Bonehunters, Prologue, US SFBC p.27-33 The spy, Mebra, learned of Veed's involvement and suspected the Nameless Ones were hunting someone. This knowledge likely led to his assassination.The Bonehunters, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.121 Veed's task was to make sure the T'rolbarahl was successful in its hunt. Veed had been assigned by the Nameless Ones to take over as Icarium's constant companion as soon as Icarium's current companion, Mappo Runt, could be removed.The Bonehunters, Chapter 4, US HC p.143-144The Bonehunters, Chapter 6, US HC p.217-218The Bonehunters, Chapter 9, US HC p.322-324 Dejim Nebrahl ambushed Mappo and Icarium, grievously wounding both and seemingly sending Mappo plummeting to his death over a cliff.The Bonehunters, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.265-267 Veed nursed Icarium back to health over several days. When the amnesiac Jhag regained consciousness, Veed acted as if he had always been Icarium's companion and the Jhag was none the wiser. Veed told Icarium that the Jhag had been chosen by the gods to free the world of a great evil.The Bonehunters, Chapter 9, US SFBC p.399-401 In Reaper's Gale (Information needed) In Dust of Dreams Veed was an eighth 'wanderer' in the Wastelands of Lether.Dust of Dreams, Prologue, US HC p.31-33 Veed arrived separately at the abandoned K'Chain Che'Malle "edifice", some time after the other seven, who had gotten there all at the same time: Asane; Breath; Last; Nappet; Rautos; Sheb; and Taxilian. Veed then proceeded to 'deal' with each of the other wanderers, one by one. This activity by Veed seemingly catalyzed the reunification of the - up until then - separate parts of the "ghost" - who had had an omniscient connection to each of the original seven wanderers - thus allowing for a single individual to coalesce from the pieces.Dust of Dreams, Chapter 18, US HC p.564-567/581-584 Notes and references de:Taralack Veed Category:Males